The treatment and management of colds and influenza mainly involves relieving your symptoms, though they ordinarily resolve on their own. If you have a chronic health condition, a cold or influenza can worsen whatever condition you have, particularly diabetes and chronic heart and lung diseases. Occasionally viral upper respiratory infections develop into complications like ear or
sinus infections
or
pneumonia
.

The goals of treatment are threefold:

Make yourself comfortable while the illness runs its course.

Manage other conditions so they do not worsen during upper respiratory infection.

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